FEMININE INTERESTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18619, 15 July 1930, Page 4

FEMININE INTERESTS

PERSONAL AND FASHION NOTES. Modern Embroideries: Some centuries ago England was famous for the beauty of her embroideries, and women spent diligent and happy hours weaving lovely patterns on canvas with thousands of tiny stitches in coloured silks and wools. This love of fine needlework remains among women who have sufficient leisure. “We find that more and more women are turning to needlework as a useful hobby.” said an official of the Embroiderers’ Guild at an exhibition of modern embroidery that was held at the Beaux Arts Gallery. The exhibits were specimens from a needlework competition that attracted over 600 entries—entries from all parts of the British Empire. She pointed out a section where hung some 50 small squares of embroidered linen, each a little picture in itself, though created with silk threads instead of paint. “All these,” said the guide, “were submitted with a view to the reproduction of the best as a coloured plate on the front page of our quarterly magazine. They tut all orignial designs and naturally had to be worked on a surface so that none of the detail need be lost by much reduction in size. In judging them we considered not only the originality and beauty of the design, but also the simplicity of the stitches employed. Women have not the time to-day that they had in the past, and consequently those innumerable tiny stitches which took hours to work are not expressive of the twentieth century and we must strike out in a new way.”

The panel awarded first prize was entitled “The Aquaruim.” Pale bluegreen lines of silk laid horizontally across the linen and couched with a slightly-slanting stitch covered the whole panel and gave the effect of a tank of gently moving water. Swimming through this were four fish, so cleverly worked that one could almost see their tails flick. Rays of light pierced the water in long yellow streaks. The whole thing breathed originality and animation.

An extreme opposite to this modem work was the formal garden scene, with a peacock strutting down a gravelled path, blue delphiniums flowering on a green lawn and a blossoming almond tree in the foreground. Applique work was used by a number of entrants in this class. One that might have been a Cubist painting depicted a rather angulai lady seated on a rounded green hillock with two large pink toadstools growing at her side and a couple of trees in the background. Herbaceous borders were fairly numerous and these, the guide remarked, are quite popular, for they are simple to do and allow plenty of choice in colours. A New Zealand member of the Guild, who had just arrived in London, worked one on a large panel during her passage to England. Another exhibit in this class—an apparently simple circular motif done in pale mauve on a buff background—was worked in 40 different stitches. But this was the exception, for most of the designs were limited to two or three usual stitches. In another section of the exhibition were cushion covers, chair backs and table centres, worked by amateurs in not more than 36 hours. One of the prizes here was awarded for a charming Noah’s Ark design worked in red and blue threads in outline stitch. Eagles, doves and pigeons were perched on top of the Ark. Mr and Mrs Noah, with some of their followers, stood in the foreground directing the animals up the pathway. A lamb, an elephant and a goat made their way to their refuge. A frog, a hedgehog, a starfish and even a snail waited in the queue at the side. Altogether an entertaining cushion cover against which to rest one’s head. Cupid in Other Lands: Quaint customs obtain in some countries when a formal proposal of marriage is presented. In some districts of Japan, for instance, the suitor often waits until he gets a chance to toss a bunch of plum-flower buds into his adored one’s carriage. If the man is acceptable, the girl fastens the buds in her girdle. A refusal is indicated when the buds are thrown out of the carriage. If the youth is very shy, he may fasten a cluster of blooms above the door of the maiden’s house. In this case the suitor knows he has found favour in his lady’s eyes when the flowers are removed. If they are left to wither, he knows himself rejected. In the remote parts of Burma, you may still see the “love-lamp” of an eligible maiden burning in her window. This is intimation to the young men of the village that they may come awooing. From those who respond, the Burmese girl makes her choice. The unwelcome ones are tactfully induced to retire until only one remains. Among at least one Arab tribe, the would-be husband has to search for his bride. As soon as a proposal is received, the girl flees to a hiding place, and unless the young Arab finds her within a certain number of days, there is no marriage. One shrewdly suspects, however, that a favoured suitor is given some clue to the maiden's refuge. Arab girls are not entirely guileless.

One of the prettiest ciistoms is practised by a tribe on the Indo-Chira frontier. These people bold moonlight dances, at which the young men toss coloured balls to the girls of their hearts. If a maid catches a ball, sne is considered to be affianced to the thrower; if she deliberately lets it fall, the man is rejected. ! The Karens of Burma often gather all their marriageable oeople of both sexes together, and hold a festival of < song. The ceremony t tarts with a chorus in which everyone joins, then

each bachelor in turn sings an cffer of marriage to the girl of his choice, to which she replies with a song of acceptance or rejection. A rather similar custom is followed by the Yao-Miaos. At the begining of winter these people hold their great annual feast, when every man who is matrimonially inclined seats himself near to the “desire tree,” and plays a serenade. If the lady he loves gives him a flower, a “marriage is arranged.” The first day of spring is “proposal day” among the Heh Miaos . On that day a festival is held" on a hil • top, and at dusk each amorous y ung man offers wine to his beloved. If the girl reciprocates his affection, ..he proffers wine in exchange, and once again “a marriage is arranged.”

Early Autumn Dress Shows: Materials are richer, and the manufacturers are supplying patterns more varied and original than ever. Whether destined for the moors or for town wear, the new dresses are composed of exquite fabrics. Lor example, Yteb’s (a Paris firm) sports suit ■is carried out in a delicious grey-beige cloth, the short, smart coat concealing, or revealing, a grey crepe de chene corsage with big dashes of yellow. These models are, mercifully, a trifle shorter than some shown in other houses. The designer finds her clients do not care to dance in quite long skirts, because they are so quickly ruined. She shows a low-cut evening dress of georgette in a fine shade of burnt amber, striking in colour and in line, and completed by a short cape to the waist of brilliant lame of mixed hues. This just shows the wearer’s shoes.

Here and there is a two—or, perhaps, three-tiered suit. One, made of crepe de chene—which is as popular as ever —in a small printed pattern, has three kilted flounces, the middle one being considerably deeper than either of the others, and a narrow kilted frill is on the short coat. An imaginative toilette is covered with embroidered holes, with a background of pale cream darned work—woven, not made by hand—making an extremely attractive effect. That short coat which has been the hall mark of the spring and summer models appears also in the advance autumn creations. It is a great invention. It lends itself to a world of pleasant variations and provides a wide field for fancy to work in. In tulle, in lace, in muslin; in silk, velvet and brocade, it has a “cachet” of its own and is singularly becoming to the wearer. The mannequins move through the showrooms, slipping them on and off with deft touches. Not a dres£ is shown this season without its coat, though sometimes the coat may taken the form of a cape. Forma lilies at Court: Many formalities surround the presentation of the Court debutante. Application must be made to the Lord Chambc-rlain about four months before the first Court of the season, and then the problem of the dressing is reached. There is no room for speculation about this, as official regulations have to be complied with. The Court train must not exceed two yards in length: the tulle veil must be 45 inches aim surmounted by three feathers arranged in the shape of a Prince of Wales’s plume. Short skirts have never been tolerated and coloured feathers are not permitted. The progress along the Mall to reach Buckingham Palace is very slow, and it is necessary to start at least two or three hours before the I>ime of arrival. Once at the entrance, however, all troubles are over, as the Court officials are very efficient and wonderfully trained. The King and Queen occupy a dais in the Throne Room, a brilliatly lighted and decorated room, in the centre of which the Diplomatic Corps and other distinguished personages are seated. Each debutante is notified a few minutes before her name is reached, and she prepares to be conducted to the Queen. The lady curtsies low to the King, and, after taking three paces backwards, to the Queen, and then retreats sideways. On no account must the back be turned upon the Royal Presence. The ceremony over, most of the debutantes and their friends have a stand-up supper before leaving ihe Palace. The calling of cars to avoid confusion is a triumph of organisation, but it is successfully achieved at the close of every Court. New Zealand Welcomes Aviatrix: New Zealand’s part in the Sydney welcome to Miss Amy Johnson is highly praised by a Wellington woman who was in Sydney when the aviatrix made her memorable visit. “I was delighted to be a Maorilander.” she writes, “amongst the New Zealand women entertaining Miss Johnson. At the women’s reception in the Town Hall, would you believe, the New Zealand table was the most conspicuous. It had large lettering—N.Zl.—about 18 inches square and four kewpies about 16 or 18 inches high, dressed and browned as Maoris, with mats and headdresses. A Girl Guide ushered guests to their seats, and the Wellingtonian was glad to see the interest taken in the New Zealand table by representatives of the Sydney papers. In regard to weather, two fine days in three weeks were all the visitor had experienced at time of writing, so that wintering in the N.S.W. capital was not proving too pleasant. In the first 18 days of her stay, she had only six hours of sunshine, “and,” she naively concludes, “the streets get so sloppy with no breeze to dry them up.”

A Shopping Hour: Women M.P.s are going to ask if they can have time off for a shopping hour. With Parliament sitting from 2.30 in the afternoon till midnight, and with committees to attend most mornings, as well as the accompanying deluge of correspondence and constituency problems with which they deal, they have very little .time in which to buy their new summer hats. Lady Cynthia Mosley always likes to do her own shopping, especially in the choosing of her children’s clothes, but since she has been in Parliament she finds this a very difficult problem.

Another well-known M.P. confesses that she had to send for her dressmaker to come to the House owing to the fact that she had not time to go to her. The dressmaker took patterns for a frock and measured her in the vicinity of the Chamber. Her sleeves were worn almost threadbare. Lady Astor, too, called her dressmaker to the House not long ago. “A shopping hour a week like typists get is what we shall have to demand,” said one woman M.P. Another woman has solved the problem by having the dressmaker call at her house with a mannequin with gowns for her to see and choose. That, however, dispenses with the search for bargains and comparison of prices which every woman loves. But women, when they go to Parliament, do not get a chance to do this.

Curly Heads of Mayfair: Curly heads peered from the edge of boxes and bobbed excitedly up and down in the stalls at the beginning of a mgtinee Lady Carlisle had arranged for the British Hospital at the London Pavilion recently. They were watching for Princess Mary, who came in very punctually, wearing a patterned pink frock, a pink tweed coat and a rose red hat. Two of the curliest heads, however, owed a great deal to art. Mrs Esmond Harmsworth’s little girls had artificial ringlets pinned on, all over because they were in one of the tableaux of celebrated pictures of children.

“I am uncorr:fy,” # I heard the younger whispering in the* middle of Mr Alfrew Bossom’s lecture on slums and skyscrapers, says the writer. “Will he be long?”

An Island Holiday: Lady Cavan, just back with Lord Cavan, from a visit to Brioni, says she has been basking in the sun to recover some of the strength she lost

during her serious illness at the beginning of the year. Golf, tennis, and polo are all played on this delectable little island—it is only seevn miles round — j in the Adriatic. Miss Daphne Mulholland. Lady Cavan’s daughter, accompanied her mother and stepfather on | their holiday and had a good deal of ; golf. She has inherited the good “eye” of the Mulholland family. Lady Cavan, it will be remembered, acted as lady-in-waiting to the Duchess of York during her Australian tour, i Bouquets at Reception: i A friend who went to the Lady Mayoress’s reception noticed how cleverly the rather dim aspect of the Mansion House had been brightened by exquisite flowers. The hall, with its masses of hydrangeas, was particularly effective. “But you should go and have a look at the drawing-room!” advised' Sir William Waterlow, and there were arranged the great baskets and bouquets presented to Lady Waterlow, j according to custom, by the sheriffs’ wives. One was of multi-coloured carnations and another of roses and lilac. Dinner-Cum-Race Frocks: The vogue of the hip-length coat, conveniently solves the problem of what to wear when dining out after Ascot, a garden party, and other summer functions which leave little time to change for dinner. At a recent dress show deeply decol- : lete chiffon frocks, suitable for any dinner-dance function, were accompanied by sleeved coatees which trans- ! formed them into charming daytime ensembles.